Thomas Metthe/Reporter-News
Abilene Christian wide receiver Taylor Gabriel (4) slips away from an Eastern New Mexico defender on a punt return during the first quarter of the Wildcats' win on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, at Shotwell Stadium.

For the first time since a 51-0 victory over McMurry in the season opener, the Abilene Christian football team didn't have to sweat out a close game.

Offense, defense and special teams all had a hand in the scoring as the Wildcats blasted Eastern New Mexico 59-17 in a Lone Star Conference game Saturday at Shotwell Stadium.

"That's what you want," ACU coach Ken Collums said. "It's not about the offense. It's not about the defense. It's not just about the special teams. It all has to work together, and I'm excited about that."

ACU quarterback Mitchell Gale threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns in just three quarters. Cade Stone returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, while Mike Wallace and Melvin Shead each returned interceptions for touchdowns to give the Wildcats back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

ACU was coming off a 34-28 victory over Delta State in Cleveland, Miss., on Sept. 27, and Collums thought his team was a little too loose during practice this week.

"Our guys were probably feeling a little too good, so I fussed at them a little this week," Collums said. "I thought their approach was a little bit lacking. But they responded and played well."

Wesley Wood ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Greyhounds (2-4, 1-3).

The Wildcats' previous four games had been decided by six or less points, including two by three points. But Wallace's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the second quarter capped a 24-0 run as ACU blew open a 7-7 game to lead 31-10 at halftime.

"It's just a blessing to make plays when my team needed it," said Wallace, a senior who was moved from safety to linebacker this season because of injuries. It was his fifth pick of the season and his first for a touchdown since returning one 46 yards against Texas A&M-Commerce in a 40-28 win last year.

During the break, Collums implored his team not to be satisfied. He wanted them to finish off the Greyhounds in the third quarter.

"That's the challenge," Collums said. "It's human nature to let up. I told them not to let up, and they didn't."

"It brought back high school memories," said Shead, a running back at Cayuga High School in East Texas. "I loved every bit of it. I had a big adrenaline rush."

ACU's defense forced four turnovers, and the Wildcats cashed them all in for 24 points.

"Anytime you're in the other team's backfield, it makes it tough on them," Collums said. "We were able to do that a little bit. So it's good."

ACU converted a Tyler Chapa pick into a Morgan Lineberry field goal in the second quarter, and Ryan Smith recovered a fumble at the ENMU 19 to set up Gale's final touchdown pass of the night — an 8-yarder to Darian Hogg to make it 52-10 with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. Hogg also had a 12-yard TD catch.

Stone, a freshman from Fort Worth Christian, gave ACU's its first kickoff return for a touchdown since Dennis Campbell did it to start the game Nov. 14, 2009, against Midwestern State in the opening round of the playoffs.

"I don't think we've had one that's been even close (this year)," Collums said. "He popped one. That was awesome."

ACU rolled up 397 yards on offense, including 136 on the ground. The defense held ENMU to 312 yards — 68 passing.

"I think we came out and played well tonight," Shead said. "We executed our game plan like Coach wanted us to do. We got the job done."